Institute Overview

Summer Honors Institute in Environmental Studies
The Institute is a two-week, all-residential program in environmental studies designed to accommodate up to 30 students. The topic of the environment is inherently interdisciplinary, complex, inspiring, and urgent. It is a subject that demands full engagement, and gifted students thrive when given the opportunity to fully engage with demanding topics with peers who ask demanding questions. When the topic can be addressed outside the confines of a classroom, the interaction of learner and subject blossoms. The 1000-acre Glen Helen Preserve, one of Ohio’s precious natural preserves and site of the region's first residential environmental education program, is uniquely suited to study of the enviroment. The preserve sits adjacent to the campus of Antioch College, which for decades has helped students find their gifts and passions.

The distinctive environment of the 1000-acre living laboratory is explored through examination of historical, cultural, geographical, and ecological relationships. Through this course of study we seek to help students develop their sense of place by examining philosophical questions like “what should be the relationship of humans to the land?” or "what level of management does nature require?".  Immersion in the different ecological communities of Glen Helen, in conjuction with regular interactions with environmental professionls, community activists and University faculty, will enable students to understand the difficult decisions that surround environmental topics in Ohio. Facilitated by a faculty member, students will be given a chance to try to their hand at creating viable policies or perform studies to address a pressing environmental and community problem.

Using collaborative, interdisciplinary teaching, team projects, field and policy research, and creative expression, students and staff will explore topics such as environmental philosophy, ecology, eco-art, environmental education, and environmental leadership. Students will receive academic instruction and mentorship from leading environmental experts and professionals. This experiential learning model allows students to try out studying and working as scientists, educators, advocates and leaders in these fields.

Many educational programs strive to lead students to civic engagement, for which Election Day participation is a typical benchmark. But to be truly engaged, students need to do more than vote.   The Institute will expose them to issues important enough to merit their attention, concern and service.  It will also expose them to professors, civic leaders and other high school students who care about these issues and are willing to explore them from many points of view.

Teaching Strategies
The Institute explores the interdisciplinary subjects of environmental science and environmental studies in an interactive facilitative format. Faculty, professionals and community leaders will collaborate to give students a uniquely experiential course of study. Lecture, field investigations and interpretive hikes are coupled with small group discussions and participation in forums, and interview sessions. Students not only study scientific and cultural environmental concepts, they observe, interview and interact with community groups and environmental professionals as they address real world environmental issues. Students select one of three areas of particular interest and organize into groups who meet with environmental professionals who are engaged in active work in the students’ chosen interest area. Each interest group selects a specific project relevant to the work of these professionals; projects are developed during practicum courses with Institute faculty and presented by students during the closing session of the Institute. 

Resources
The Institute will have full use of the 1000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve with over 20 miles of trails, an award-winning raptor rehabilitation center, indigenous reptile collection, residential outdoor education center, interpretive museum, and natural history library. Antioch University has many resources that will be available to the students. The use of some of these resources will be designed into the course, such as computer labs.   In discussions, students will determine which other aspects of the college they would like to gain a better understanding of, such as college admissions processes, financial aid availability, or interaction with faculty from disciplines related to the subjects they are studying.

Lodging
Students are housed in a camp-style dormitory at the Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center, located in the heart of the preserve. The unit cosists of one main building divided into four large rooms.  Males will be on one side, females on the other, a common space in between and another commonspace in the back of the building.  Separate Bathrooms and showers for males and females are located on either side of the dorm.  The housing unit will allow the swift development of the deep discourse that is possible when gifted students have sustained contact with intellectual peers in a stimulating environment. The all-residential format also provides a setting conducive to meaningful interaction with Antioch faculty and staff. 

Health Care
Each student will be offered optional insurance through the Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center. Health forms signed by a parent or guardian are required from each student detailing specific health concerns, releases to administer over-the-counter medications, physician and emergency facility preference and dietary preferences. All over-the-counter medications stocked by the Outdoor Education Center are stored under lock and key and can be accessed by authorized personnel only. Administration of prescription medication requires a physician’s release and instructions. Medication or emergency supplies needed by a specific student must be put together by the student’s parent or guardian and/or physician, labeled and carried by the staff member charged with supervision of that student. Dietary preferences and food allergies will be discussed with kitchen staff before the Institute, and will be considered when preparing the week’s menu.

                                                       

Security and Supervision
The Outdoor Education Center is not open to the general public.  Staff continually monitors the site. All facilities are regularly inspected to insure adherence to health, fire and safety codes. All meals are prepared in regularly-inspected kitchens by professional kitchen staff according to institutional nutrition and menu planning guidelines. Each meal will include a vegetarian option, as well as options for those with special dietary needs or preferences. All Institute drivers will be certified by the Antioch College transportation department through driving record police checks. 

Students will be supervised by experienced Program Assistants at night and while on dorm breaks.  Students will be housed in a single building consisting of two wings, each with its own fire exit in addition to the wing entrance, with one Assistant per wing. Institute Assistants will accompany and assist students throughout day and evening activities, whether on the main campus, at the Outdoor Education Center, or off site. In nearly all curcumstances students will be continuously supervised, in an unobtrusive but available manner. However, given students attending the program are responsible young adults, there will be some free time for students.  At this time they will be allowed to walk the trails or relax intown in groups of three.  All Program Assistants have had experience on site supervising youth in a residential program setting and have both training and experience in childhood development and proactive behavior management. All will have been cleared by police checks, all will have First Aid and CPR certification, and all will have had on site training in risk management and emergency procedures. First aid kits and an emergency cell phone with pre-programmed first responder numbers will be carried by the Program Assistant on call for each activity, as well as by the administrator on site during day and evening activities.

During orientation students will be familiarized with program safety regulations and the emergency and severe weather procedures and contact numbers posted in each building on site. Any student who exhibits behavior that is detrimental to the group experience will be counseled; should the behavior prove intractable the student may be sent home. Any student who exhibits intractable behavior that is dangerous to self or others will be sent home.

Evaluation
During the first evening’s community building activities students will discuss some of their individual goals and participate in games and discussions that facilitate development of goals for the entire group. Personal and community goals will be revisited at key points during the session.  Students will also complete a one page reflection on their first week’s experience when they return home for the weekend. This piece will serve to both encourage assimilation of the initial week’s experience and provide a “pulse” midway through the program.

The impact of intensive residency programs is often not fully experienced until one takes one’s new perspectives, insights and tools of critical analysis back to familiar settings. In an email after the close of the Institute, participants will be given a chance to reflect on how they’ve experienced themselves as learners as they returned to their homes and schools.